Chapter one

Ste's pov

I thought it was too good to be true him leaving me alone, that's never going to happen he will always mess with my life; always. It just all seemed different this time; he'd left me alone for months, he really seemed to have forgotten about me but he hasn't, not really.

I couldn't believe he'd gone behind my back. He has to be involved in everything I do. How will I ever do anything on my own if he won't let me? He sacked me from the club, left me jobless with two kids to support, I had no money and now all of a sudden he's playing the hero. But it's not like that with Brendan is it? He wants something in return and I'm pretty sure he doesn't want it from Doug.

He's playing with me again, it's every time I try to move on, every time I do something good for myself, he's there messing it up for me. First Rae, then Noah, now my new business. He hates me being happy without him but he had the chance to be with me and he blew it. Why now? After all this time?

I know we need the money, but to lend it from him….really? What price will we have to pay for this? I refused straight away; he knew I would; that's why he went to Doug. But deep down I knew there was no other way. I mean how are we going to get that kind of money? We'd pay him back as soon as we could, wouldn't we?

I know that this isn't about him being nice and helping us, it's about me, it's always been about me. He had proved that time and time again, he will always be this way over me, possessive, jealous, angry, intense and passionate; the list goes on and on.

He is always going to be there watching me, finding excuses to interfere; I'm surprised it's taken him this long. I waited for him, hoping every time that he came back, he'd be different, but he wasn't and it's a shame, we could have had something, I'd never felt more alive than when I was with him, I loved him, I loved him so much, but that's all in the past now.

I just want to concentrate on our new business, that is what is important to me. I know he is going to try and get me back, or at least try and sleep with me again; but it won't happen, I'm stronger now, he doesn't think I am, but I am.

I have new things in my life, new friendships and I'm not going to let him ruin this for me, he's ruined too much already, he's taken away so much from me, but no more, I'll make sure it stops now before it's even begun.

Brendan's pov

Well Stephen knows, he knows I lent Douglas the money; he didn't seem to take it too bad, not as bad as I thought anyway, what does that mean? Maybe he still wants me after all, I should have known, I mean I always get what I want, especially when it comes to Stephen.

I take what I want and I want him, I've never really stopped wanting him and no matter what happens between us, I never will stop, not ever!

I should feel bad but I don't, this feels right to me; even if it's on my terms, it's always on my terms. I feel sorry for Douglas being stuck in the middle of us.

It will be like old times, I know I've only lent them the money, but I'm involved now, I'm involved with him again. And that's more than I've had in a long time... too long. At least it will be a way for us to start speaking again, I miss his voice, that chatter about everything and nothing, I will find a way to get to him; no matter how long it takes me.

He won't be able to resist me, he never has before and I'll make sure he can't now. Who would have thought that Stephen would be running his own business? I feel quite proud of him really. He's a survivor.

I pushed him away, abused him, sacked him, but look at him now, he's come back fighting and he's proved he doesn't need me, or at least not as much, I mean I've still bailed him out haven't I?

Stephen has no confidence in himself, I feel partly to blame for that, so he has come far really. He couldn't have worked for me forever could he? And although I miss him working for me, watching him bend over all the time in that tight fitting ChezChez uniform, it's good to see him grow.

He has no idea that I still kept my eye on him for all those months we were apart, but I just did it from afar so that he couldn't see, he didn't need to know. There will always be something between Stephen and I, nothing will ever change that no matter what happens between us, I can't wait to start trying to win him back, I'm almost excited about it.

I wonder how easy it'll be. I'm smiling, it's been a while since I smiled, and it's all because of him, I'm so close to having him, that I can almost taste him, I hope he's ready for me again. I invited them to the club tonight, for drinks to celebrate their new business; they said they would see if they could make it, you could tell Douglas wanted to but it was Stephen, he didn't look convinced, I don't think he thought it was a good idea, but it didn't matter, he'd come, I know he will come.

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